1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger washing apparatus and a heat exchanger washing method, and more specifically, to a heat exchanger washing apparatus and a heat exchanger washing method capable of securely supplying washing brushes into the pipes of a heat exchanger so that they travel in the pipes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, since the efficiency of heat exchangers such as, for example, condensers for condensing the steam exhausted from nuclear power stations and thermal electric power plants by cooling the steam is lowered by the material such as scale and the like deposited on the inner walls of the pipe, the heat exchangers are periodically washed using a heat exchanger washing apparatus.
The heat exchanger washing apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-145598. The apparatus disclosed therein is arranged such that a washing brush supplied from the feed passage of a washing brush accommodating body is accommodated in the accommodating portion of a direction converting member, after the washing brush is accommodated, the direction converting member is turned to shut off the communication between the accommodating portion of the direction converting member and the feed passage as well as the accommodating portion of the direction converting member is caused to communicate with a heat exchanger leading guide for supplying a high pressure fluid and thereafter the high pressure fluid is supplied to the heat exchanger leading guide. The washing brush which was sprayed with the high pressure fluid on the back side thereof travels in the pipe of a heat exchanger and is discharged to the outside of the pipe together with the deposited material in such a manner that the washing brush pushes out the deposited material.
Since the accommodating portion of the direction converting member has a space sufficient to accommodate only one washing brush and the washing brush is formed to a cylindrical shape and used repeatedly, the size thereof may be reduced by the use and the like thereof.
When the washing brush whose height is somewhat lowered by the use is accommodated in the accommodating portion of the direction converting member, since a slight surplus space is formed above the washing brush accommodated in the accommodation portion, a portion of a washing brush to be accommodated next invades on the washing brush having been accommodated in the accommodating portion, and moreover since the direction converting member turns in this state, there is a problem that a portion of the invaded washing brush which will be accommodated next is broken.
If the above phenomenon should arise even once, since the height of the brush is lowered in correspondence to the amount of breakage, there also arises a problem that the washing brushes are continuously broken one after another as well as the broken washing brushes invade into the turning portion of the direction converting member to thereby prevent the turn of the direction converting member.
An object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger washing apparatus and a heat exchanger washing method for solving the above problems.